Apparatus fob treating fruit



STEBLER Nov. 26, 1935.

I APPARATUS FOR TREATING FRUIT Original Filed Dec. 24, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 26, 1935. F. S TEBLER APPARATUS FOR'TREATING FRUIT 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 24, 1932 NOV. 26, 1935; I I s E E v Re. 19,769:

I APPARATUS FOR TREATIE K} FRUIT Original Filed: Dec. 24, 1932 6 Sheets-She et 3 Nov. 26, 1935. F, sfiB'LE-R Re. 19,169

APPARATUS FOR TREATING FRUIT Original Filed Dec. 24. 19:52 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 26, 1935. F. STEBLER APPARATUS FOR TREATING FRUIT- 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I Original Filed Dec. 24. 1932 I Nov. 26, 1935.

F. STEBLER APPARATUS FOR TREQTING FRUIT s Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Dec. 24, 1932 Reissued Nov. 1 ,5 j

UNITED STATES PATENT, E MEZTQ EJSIZ;

- Machinery Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware v Original No. 1,954,854, dated April 10, 1934, Serial No..648,769, December 24, 1932. Application for reissue November 1'1, i934, Serial No. 753,558

1 20 Claims. (cl. 198-127) This invention relates ,to a process and appareltusto be used in treating fruit, and refers particularlyto a process and apparatus in which .fruit is treated in the troughs between transverse fruit, whereby each piece of fruit may receive tend to lag along the sides of the machine, and" that fruit of different sizes intermingle and do not have a uniform forward progress, thus resuiting in an over treatment of some of the pieces It is an objectof this invention to p vide a process and apparatusforfi'eatlng f t whlch' will operate to positively'an'd uniformly progress all of the fruit, whether large or small, close to the sides or center, will receive the same degree of treatment while passing through the machine.

A further object is to provide such a progressing mechanism which will not injure the fruit operation of the progressor 40 means. r

A further object is to provide means whereby the'speed of the progressor and the fruit feeding means may beTchanged without altering the speed of the treating brushes.

A further object is to provide the ,drive means for the'progressor and fruit feeding means, with a change speed meanswhereby the rate of travel of the fruit through the treating machine may be nicely adjusted- 50 A further object as exemplified in the modified form of the invention is to provide a treating machine with a plurality of transversely jour- 5 brushes and progressed from the trough between while progressing the fruit through the machine; 5

one set of transverse brushes to the next trough, I A further object is to provide a progressing and so. on, until the fruit has traversed all of means which will substantially follow the adjathe brushes of the apparatus. cent contour of the rotating brushes whereby the The ordinary fruit treating machine is usual] fruit engaged by the progressing means will. be

provided with a plurality of cylindrical brushes v gently boosted or lifted out of the valleys or 10 ,mounted transversely of the longitudinal axis of troughs formed between the brushes.

the machine in parallel relation. All of the cy A further object is to provide means for reciplindrical brushes may be rotated in the same dir tin he pr r radle and 'f r rivin rection, and at an appropriate speed to insure the conveyor means in timed relation whereby the that the fruit will be correctly treated while passfruit engaging fingers will follow the adjacent 15' ing through the machine. However. fruit brushcontour of the treating brushes.

ing machines of this type in which transverse cy-"- A further object s t P d means r c plindrical brushes are employed for the purpose rocating the progressor cradle in a vertical plane, of abrading'thesurface of the fruit, require that and for preventing motion of the cradle in a the fruit be progressed through the machine by longitudinal direction. 20 the disp'lacemenfl' method. In other words, the A further object is to provide the progressor forward progress or passage of the fruit is caused means with resilient fruit engaging fingers, whereby revolving the. transverse brushes all in one by the ili i by thes fingers y be direction, and by feeding the. fruit continuously yle d y d u v ghs f rmed b 26 on the top of-the brushes, and as the top surface tween the treating brushes.

of all the brushes is moving in the same direction, A further object is -to"provide a plurality of the fruit fed onto the brushes naturally is caused crankshafts transversely -Journalled upon the to move forward and align itself in rows in the treating machine frame, and for journaling crossvalleys or troughs formedbetween the peripheries head means upon the throws of the crankshafts 30 of the brushes, and the fruit will remain in these and for slidably mounting the progressor frame 30 valleys, rolling over' and over until additional upon the cross-heads so that by rotating of the fruit is fed into the machine, which fruit, being crankshafts the progressor frame will be recipcrowded forward, will displace and shove the nested in a vertical plane, and for providing an lodged fruit forward into the next succeeding valanchor means for. retaining the progressor frame ley, and so on until the fruit has completed its from a longitudinal motion, which is rendered 35 course through the machine. It will thus be seen possible due to the sliding engagement between that the forward progress of the fruit depends the frameand crossheads. solely upon the feeding of additional fruit, there A further object is ,to provide meansfor feed- 5 I being no positive means to give a definite and ing the fruit-onto the treating brushes in timed orderly rate of forward travel to each piece of relation with the vide the frame with fixed fruit engaging means spaced along the frame at distances substantially equal to the spacing of the treating brushes of the machine, and for providing means for simultaneously driving the crankshafts.

A further object is to provide a fruit feeding means which will; deliver a row of fruit'to the brushing machine for each cycle of operation of the progressor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the nature of thesame is more fully understood from the following de-.

scription and accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth an apparatus embodying the invention andin which the process of the invention may be carried out. It should be understood,

, however, that this particular embodiment of the invention is shown prin cipally for the purpose of exempliflcation, and that variations thereof in detail of construction or arrangement of parts may accordingly be eifectecl and yet remain within the spirit and scope of the invention as the same is set'i'orth in the appended claims. In the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates a plan view inflwhich some Figure 6 illustrates an end view of Figure 5, in

which viewthe progressor supporting rail has been removed.

Figure '7 illustrates a sectional side elevation of j a modified form of the invention.

Figure 8- illustrates a sectional viewtaken substantially in the plane of line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

-Figure 9 illustrates an enlarged sectional detail of the means for mounting the progressor frame on the crankshafts, and the means for mountingthe progressor bar upon the progressor v V means of plates 59, bracket slots 53 and bolts 52. 50

frame, and

Figure 10 illustrates a sectional view of the progressor bar taken substantially in the plane oflineIII-IIIofFig. 9.

In the preferred form of the invention as illustrated in the drawings, the invention may broadly include a fruit brushing machine I, a drive means 2therefor. aprogressor mechanism. 3, a drive means 4 therefor, a fruit feed means 5, and a drive means 5 arranged to drive the fruit feed means in timed relation with the' progress-or mechanism.

The fruit brushing machine I may include a suitable frame I comprising pairs of standards 9, 9 and III for supporting the side rails II and I2. A series of cylindrical fruit treating or abrading brushes I3 may be suitably journalledin'bear- 11188.21 and I5, which bearings may be suitably fastened to their respective side rails II or I2, as by means of bolts I5. The fruit treating brushes may be in parallel relation and equally Malone the side rails at distances sumciently apart so that their peripheral surfaces" do' not contact one with the other. Each brush countershaft driving pulley 25.- The countertightening sprocket 31.

together.

end 45 of the frame to tie each set of upper and side of the machine, may be extended. as at I9 to support a brush driving sprocket I 9. I

The drive means 2 for the brushing machine I,

may include an electric motor 29 supported upon frame I, as by means of cross members 2 I, which 5 members may be suitably mounted upon the longitudinal frame sills 22 carried by standards 8,9 and I9. The motor .may drive acountershaft by means of the motor pulley 2|, belt 25, and

10 shaft 23 may be journalled transversely of frame I by means of bearings 21 carried by the center standards 9. The countershaft in turn may drive brushes will be driven in the same direction, and 25 *at the same speed. It may be desirable to provlde the idler sprockets 35 and 36 at each side of the driving sprocket 33 and also the chain.-

The idler sprockets 35 and 35 may be journalled upon suitable cross shafts38 and 39, while the chain tightening may ,be adjustably mounted upon the frame in order that it may be moved to tighten the chain to a proper tension. t

The progressor mechanism 3 may include a floating or progressor frame 40 including a pair of-upper angle iron side rails ll; and a corresponding pair of lower angle iron side rails 42. Suitable brace members 43 may-be provided for tying the upper and lower anglfe'iron side rails 40 A plate 44 may be provided at the lower side rails together, and also to provide supporting means for the bearing brackets 46, which brackets may be adiustably fastened to their re- 45 spective plates as by means of slots 41 through which the bolts 49 may be played. Similar bearing brackets 49 may be adjustably mounted at the opposite end of the progressor frame, as by A transverse drive shaft 53 may be journalled in bearings 54 carried by the bearing brackets 49, and may be provided with a pair of conveyor side rails ll (note Fig. 3); may be positioned so' that "we flange 59 of each angle may be substantially horizontal and directed inwardly to- OI) ward the center of the machine, and may be provided with a track 59.' The lower side rails 92 may be likewise arranged with-the flanges 5| substantially horizontal and directed toward the center of the machine and each provided with a 05 track.

A pair of endless progressor conveyor chains 53 may be played around the conveyor chain sprockets and 59,.and along-thetracks Gland 52 of .the upper and lower side rails. As may be 'observed from Figure 2, the periphery 'of the sprockets 55 may be arranged so as to receive the chains 53 in tangential alignment with those portions of the chains traveling along the tracks 69 and 92 while the extreme ends of the tracks I adjacent the sprockets 55 may be bent down- I wardly as at 84 to permit the chains to smoothly leave and ride-onto tracks 68 and 62.

If preferred, both'ends of the side rails with their re spective conveyor sprockets may be formed alike or the end 65 of each of the upper side rails 4! may be inclined toward its respective lower rail, as illustrated in Figure 2. In this arrangement chain sprockets 58 of smaller diameter than Gll and B2.

Progressor bars 81, as illustrated in Figs. 2', 3, 5 and 6, may be spaced. along the entire length of chains 63 at intervals substantially equal to the distances between the centers of the treating brushes I3. The progressor bars 6'5 may be operatively mounted at each end to one of, the conveyor chains, as by means of bracket 68, hav-- ing a flange portion 69, to which flange the end of the progressor bar 61 may be securely fastened, as by means of bolts It Also, the bracket as may be provided with a bearing boss H for operative engagement with the supporting pin 12 and locked thereon by means of the cotter rubber may be suitably, secured upon the progressor bars, or the fruit engaging 'means may be made of brush bristles. As may be noted from Figures 2 and 3, the fruit engaging fingers 8| may "project into the troughs 83 formed between ad-= key 13. In order to maintain the progressor bars 81 in vertical relation with respect to chains 83, the brackets 68' may be provided with arms 14 spaced sufficiently from the chain so as to bridge and not to interfere with the pins '15 thereof, and each may be provided with a boss 76 for engagement with the adjacent link of chain-63, and the boss It may be provided with a slot 11, through which slot the gniidepiu. ES may be played. A cotter" key'lt be provided, for preventing the guide pin it? from. becoming displaced. The slot it in the it is important, as it provides suifdcient play fonthe guide pin i8 during the travel of the progreesor bar around the chain sprockets. The chains throughout their length may he provided with the long supporting pins [2 and the shorter guide .pins 18, whereby the progressor bars may operatively supported upon the chains and each progressor bar spaced from the preceding bar a distance substantially equal to the distance betwecn'the centers of the treat-ing brushes so that the progressor bars while traveling across the brushes may act to simultaneously boost the fruit from, one trough formed between adjacent brushes to the next troughi Each progressor bar may be provided with fruit enga ing members 88. As illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the members 8|! maybe made of'moulded rubber or other suitable material, and having fruit engaging fingers 8i, and fastened to the out causing the fruit to be injured-or bruised,

In place of the fruit engaging members 88 -i1lustrated in Figures 5 and .6, a sheet of canvas or jacent treating brushes, when the progressor frame 48 is at its lowestposition. As the fruit engaging fingers 8| are progressed in the direction of the arrow 88 in Fig, 2, the progressor frame 40 may be raised and lowered so that the tips of fingers 8! may approximate the contour of the top surface ofthe treating brushes l3.

' Any suitable means for reciprocating the pro?- gressor frame 48 in a vertical plane may be provlded. One form of suclr means may include'a pair of spaced, transversely extending crankshafts 8E and 88 .iournalled in bearings 81 supported upon standards 88 suitably mounted upon the frame side rails H and I2. A pair of crossheads 89 may be journalled upon the throw 90 of each crankshaft, and each crossheadl may be provided with anti-friction means, such as the rollers 9i. Each angle iron side rail M of the progressor frame 40 may be provided with bearing plates 92 located to rest upon the rollers 9| of the crossheads. By this arrangement, as the crankshafts 86 are rotated together, the crossheads 89 journalled upon the throws of the crankshafts arelcaused to travel around a circular path described by the crankshaft throws, Y

and as the progressor frame 40 is mounted'on the crossheads 89, the progress'or frame is thereby reciprocated in a vertical plane. Anchor means may be provided for substantially,preventing the progressor frame from moving longitudinally with the crossheads, whlch means may include a pair of spaced. links 93, which links at one end may be journalled upon the transverse drive shaft 53 by means of bearings 94, and at the other due tothe anti-frietion rollers 9|, back and forth along the progressor bearing plates 92, causing only a rising and falling motion of the progressor frame.

Means may be provided for driving the progr'essor conveyor and the crankshafts in timed relation, whereby the progressor fingers 8 I, while traveling through the machine, may approximately follow the contour of the upper surface of the treating brushes IS. The drive means for theprogressor may include a standard form of speed regulator 98, operatively connected to the countershaft 28 by means of pulleys 99,188 and belt It'll, while the shaft I82 may be driven at a selected speed by the regulator 98, by means ofpulleys'l83, I84 and the crossed belt I05. The shaft I82 may be supported uponthe standards It! by means of suitable bearings I08, and may be operative'ly connected'to drive crankshaft 85 by means of sprockets N11, I08, and chain I09. Crankshaft 88 may be driven directly from the crankshaft 85 by means of sprockets I I|l, H I, and chain H2. And the progressor conveyor may bedriven from crankshaft by means of sprockets H3, H4, and chain H5, for'driving the countershaft 95 from which the progressor conveyor drive shaft 53 may be in turn driven by means of sprockets H6, H1, and chain 8, and the progressive conveyor chain sprockets 55 are; mounted I upon and driven by means of shaft 53'. By this of the fruit feed means 5 by any chain 1 I8 at a given adjustment.

progressor 'bars 61. progressor conveyor, crankshafts and fruit feed arrangement the crankshafts and progressor conveyor may be driven in timed relation. Each of 'the links 93 may carry an idler sprocket II9,'

whichlsprockets may be adjustably mountedon the links 93 and in alignment with chain Ill,

whereby the chain I I8 may be tightenedas desired. By arranging the progressor conveyor drive between the drive shaft 53 and the countershaft 95, and interconnecting these shafts by means of links 93, the up and down motion of the progressor frame may not aifect the adjustment of the drive chain I I8, asthe links 93 act to maintain these-shafts equally spaced and the drive frame 1 by bearings 1.24,. It is important that the fruit feed means operate in timedrelation with the progressor conveyor, so that a row of fruit may be delivered "to the treating brushes between each of the progressive bars 61', and for this purpose the drive means for the fruit feeding means.

may be operatively connected to the drive means for crankshaft 86, which in turn is driven in timed relation with the progressor conveyor.

The drive meansfor the fruit'feeding means may include a jack shaft I25 mountedln the bracket- I26 formed integral with one of the standards 88 which support crankshaft 86. A sprocket I21 may be journalled upon the jack shaft 'I25.to operatively engage the crankshaft-drive chain I I2, and said sprocket I21 may be provided with a hub I28, upon the outer end of which may be mounted the drive sprocket I29. A sprocket I30 may be mounted upon the outer end of the drive shaft" I23, and may be driven by the drive sprocket I29 by means of chain IBI, .thus driving the fruit feeding means in timed relation with the crank- I shafts as and 8s, and also in timed relation with the progressor conveyor, whereby fruit will be delivered to the machine between each of the As the drive means for the means are all interconnected, it will be appreciated that by adjusting the speed regulator these elements ,will be simultaneously speeded up or slowed down, while the speed of the treating brushes will remain substantially constant. Therefore, the. treating period for any given lot of fruit may be nicely adjusted, that is, by speeding up the progressor the fruit will be progressed through the machine in less time, and, therefore,

will receive less treatment; and, conversely, by slowing down the progressor, the fruit will take a longer time to progress. through the machine, and, therefore, will receive treatment for a greater length of time.

The process-of treating fruit as carried out in the above-described apparatus or machine is as follows:

The motor 20 may be set into operation and the speed regulator 98 set for the duration of treatment necessary, for the lot of fruit to be acted upon. Fruit may-be then fed to the lower end of the well along a path approximately the contour of v the known means now-in common use, and, therefore,

not shown, whereby a row of ,fruit will be carried in the trough formed between-the rollers I20 thereof and deposited onto the first of the treating brushes l3, as soon as the fingers BI- carried by the progressor bar 61 have moved out of range of the fruit being depositedby the feed means, whereupon the fruit will be rolled by the rotation of the treating brush I3 into the trough 83 formed between the first and second treating 1 brushes. Normally, all of the brushes are revolving at the same speed and in the same direction, the fruit aligning itselfin a row in the trough' 83, and remaining in the trough, rolling over and over until the next set of fingers 8| carried by the 1 next progressor bar 61 engages the fruit and "boosts it out of the troughformed between the first and second set of brushes into the trough .formed between. the -second and third set of brushes. As soon as the fruit has been boosted to 2 near the top surfaceot the brush, the rotation of the brush will carry the fruit ahead into the next trough where it will be rolled over and over until the fingers again catch u'pto the fruit and boost it into the next succeeding trough, and so on, 5 until the fruit will have traversed the full length of the machine, whereupon the treated fruit may be discharged onto a suitable conveyor, not shown. Due to providing resilient fingers which travel brushes, the fruit is gently progressed from one trough to the next, thus the fruit may be progressed with substantially no bruising or injury whether the fruit progressed is large, small or oddly shaped. 3

As the progressor boosts the first row of fruit from the trough formed between the first and second treating brushes to the next trough, the

thereby into the first trough, and so on until the ent'ire lot of fruit has been treated.

In the modified form or the invention, as ill trated in Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10, the brushing machine and fruit feeding means are of substantially the same construction, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, w ile the progressor means differ, in'that the prog:.-ssor.frame is given a circular motion and is not provided with the progressor conveyor, as due to the circular motion of the frame the fruit engaging members carried directly thereby will act to boost the rows of fruit from one trough to the next, and during the re turn motion will rise above the fruit so as not to interfere with the progression of the fruit through 5 the machine.

The modified form of. the progressor may include a floating or progressor frame I40 having a pair of side rails I4I connected'together by a number of equally spaced progressor bars I42. The

- progressor bars I42 may be spaced along the side each progressor bar may be positioned to be in alignment with one of the troughs formed between I the treating brushes when at the top or bottom of its stroke.

The means for giving to the progressor frame a circular motion may include a pair of spaced crankshafts I43 and I44 suitably journalled upon the brushing machine frame and by providing each side rail with bearings I45 journalled upon the throws I46 of the crankshafts. The bearing I45 may be suitably mounted upon the side rails I by means of bolts I41, and reinforcing blocks 1 ".8 may be provided forstiflening the side rails adjacent each bearing.

As will be observed, the crankshafts fully support the progressor frame, and it is, therefore,

only necessary to drive the crankshafts in unison so that the throws I46 of both crankshafts rise and fall simultaneously in order to give to the frame a circular motion equal in extent to thecircular path described by the-throws of the crank shafts. Each of the progressor bars I42 may be suitably fastened at each end to one of the progressor frame side rails Ml, as by means of angle plates I49. One flange of each angle plate may be fastened to the adjacent side rail, as by rivets I50,

while the end of the progressor bar may be fastened to the other flange of the angle plate as by meansiof bolts Il.

A fruit engaging means I52 may be vsuitably fastened to the lower edge of each progressor bar. The fruit engaging means may be formed of rubber fingers, as illustrated in Figures 3, 5 and 6, or of bristle material, as illustrated in Figures 7, 9 and 10, or maybe formed of sheet rubber or other suitable material. v

. As will be observed in Figures-'7 and'8, the

-fruit' engaging means I52 when in their lower .most position project into the troughs I53 formed between adjacent fruit treating brushes, and the end of each of the fruit engaging means I52 will follow a circular path, as illustrated in broken of these parts.

lines in"? at I54. As the fruit engaging means travel around the circular course I54 'in' the direction indicated by the arrow I55, the fruit lodged in the troughs formed between the treating brushes will be gently engaged and boosted to the next succeeding. trough, and during a further portion of the travel the fruit engaging means will rise above the fruit progressed into the adjacent troughs and finally return in heels of this fruit to boost it over to the next succeeding troughs, which periodic boosting of the fruit from one trough to the next will continue until the fruit will have traversed the entire length of the machine.

The drive means for the treating brushes; progressor and fruit feeding means are substantially the same as previously {described for the form of machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive ex- I cepting that the drive means for the progressor conveyor has been eliminated and, therefore, it is deemed unnecessary to repeat the description It is important, however, as in the form of the machine. previously described, that the progressor and fruit feeding means should operate in timed relation, so that the fruit may. be fed into the machine when the progressor frame isin its elevated position, in order that the fruit delivered by the fruit feeding means may be carried by the rotation of the firsttreating brush into the first trough from which the progressor will boost the fruit into'the next trough, and so on, until the fruit will have progressed through the machine. It is also im- ,portantthat the fruit feeding means deliver one row of fruit only for each cycieof' operation of theiprogressor, so as not to overload the brush-- ing machine.

It will be appreciated that by the use of either form ofprogresson 'that the fruit will be conveyed in an orderlyfashion and at an even rate.

through the brushing machine, thereby insuring that all of thefruit, whether large or small, will receivethesame degree of treatment while passing through the machine.

frame above said brushes, conveyor means operatively mounted upon the progressor frame, a

. or means operatively mounted upon the progrescrankshafts and conveyor in. timed relation.

Having fully described the invention it is to' be understood that it is .not to be limited to the details herein set forth, but the invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1

1. In a fruit treating machine, a frame, a plurality of I cylindrical brushes journalled transversely of said frame, means for driving said brushes, a progressor frame operatively mounted upon said frame, means for reciprocating said progressor framelin a vertical plane, an endless conveyor means operatively mounted. upon the progressor frame, a plurality of progressor bars opera-tively carried by the conveyor means, said progressor bars being spaced along the conveyor means at distances substantially equal to the spacing of the brushes, aplurality of relatively closely spaced resilient fingers projecting from each of the progressor'bars, and means for driving the conveyor means in timed relation with the reciprocations of the progressor frame for causing the tips of the resilient fingers to travel adjacent brushes.

along a path approximating the contour of the 2. In a fruit treating machine, aframe, a plug5 rality of cylindrical brushes journalled transj versely of said frame, means for driving said brushes, a progressor frame mounted in the plurality of progressor bars carried by the tonveyo'r means, said-progressor bars being spaced along the conveyor means at distances substantially equal to the spacing of the brusheaa plurality of relatively closely spaced resilient. fin- 'gers projecting from each ofthe progressor bars and extending to the proximity of the adjacent surfaces of said brushes, and a driving means for the conveyor. I

' 3. In afruit treating machine, a frame, a plurality of cylindrical brushes journalled transversely of said frame, means-for driving said brushes, a progressor frame operatively mounted upon the frame, means for reciprocating theprogreesor frame in a vertical plane, a conveyor means operatively mounted upon the progressor frame, a plurality of progressor bars carried by the conveyor means, said progressor bars being spaced along the:conveyor means at distances substantially equal to the spacing of the brushes,

a plurality of fingers projecting from each of the progressor-bars, and means for driving the oohveyor means in timed relation with the recipro cations of the progressor frame for causing the fingers to travel along a path approximating the contour of the adjacent brushes. 4. A progressor-mechanism for assisting the fruit out of the troughs formed betweenthe transversely positioned treating brushes of a fruit treating machine including a frame, a pair of spaced crankshafts journalled transversely of the frame, a pair ofcrossheads joumalled upon the throw of each crankshaft, a progressor frameopcratively mounted upon said crossheads, an anchor means for connecting the frame and progressor frame arranged to permit a reciprocatory motion of the progressor frame in a vertical plane but preventing longitudinal motion thereof, a conveysor frame, fruit engaging means carried by the conveyor for assisting. fruitlodged in one trough formed between adjacent treating brushes to the nexttrough, 'and a drive'means for actuating the 5. A progressor mechanism for assisting the 'IB' transversely positioned treating brushes of a fruit treating machine including a frame, a progressor frame operatively mounted in the frame, means mounted in the frame for reciprocating the progressor frame in a vertical plane, a conveyor means operatively mounted upon the progressor frame, fruit engaging means carried by the conveyor for assisting fruit lodged in one trough formed between adjacent treating brushes to the next troughband a drive means for actuating the progressor frame, reciprocating means and the conveyor means in timed relation.

6.-A progressor mechanismjor assisting fruit out of the troughs formed between the transversely positioned treating brushes of afruit treating machine including a frame, a progressor frame. operatively mounted in theframe, means mounted in the frame for reciprocating the progressor in a vertical plane, a conveyor means operatively mounted upon the progressor frame for assist-' motion in a vertical plane, a conveyor means operatively mounted upon the; progressor frame, fruit engaging'means carried by the conveyor for assisting fruit lodged in one trough formed between adjacent treating brushes to the next trough, and a drive means for actuating the crankshafts and conveyor in timed relation.

8. A progressor mechanism for assisting fruit out of the troughs formed between the transversely positioned treating brushes of a fruit treating machine including a frame, a pair of spaced crankshafts journalled transversely of the frame,

" a pair of cross-heads journalled upon the throw of each crankshaft, a progressor frame operative-- ly mounted upon said cross-heads, an anchor means for connecting the progressor frame to the frame arranged to permit a reciprocatory motion of the progressor frame-in a vertical plane but preventing longitudinal motion thereof, a conveyor means operatively mounted uponthe progressor frame, a plurality of progressor bars carried by the conveyor means, said progressor bars being spaced along the conveyor means at distances substantially equal to the spacing of the treating brushes, a plurality of fingers projecting from each of the progressor bars, and means for driving the crankshafts and conveyor ,means in timed relation for causing the fingers to travel along a path approximating the contour of the adjacent brushes.

9. A progressor mechanism for assisting fruit the throws of said crankshafts, a plurality of fruit out of -l the troughs formed between thesor frame at distances substantially equal to the spacing of the treating brushes.

' 10. A progressor mechanism for assisting fruit out of the troughs formed between the transversely positioned treating brushes of a fruit '5 treating machine including a frame, a plurality of crankshafts journalled upon said frame, a drive means for simultaneously actuating theicranlrshafts, a progressor operatively mounted upon l0 fruit engaging means mounted upon said pro-.. gressor, and said fruit engaging means being spaced along the progressor at distances substantially'equal to the spacing of the treating brushes. 1

l1. In a fruit treatingmachine, a frame, a plurality of cylindrical brushes journalled transversely of said frame, means for driving said brushes, a. progressor frame operatively mounted upon 'said frame, means for reciprocating the 20 progressor frame in a vertical plane, an endless conveyor means operatively mounted upon the progressor frame, a plurality of fruit engaging means operatively carried by the conveyor means,

a fruit feed means and a drive means operative 25 for synchronously driving the conveyor means, the progressor frame reciprocating means and the fruit feed means all in timed relation.

12. In a fruit treating machine, a frame, a plurality of cylindrical brushes journalled transversely of said frame, means for driving said brushes, 8. progressor frame operatively mounted upon said frame for movement in a vertical plane, means for reciprocating the progressor frame in a vertical plane, an endless conveyor 35 means operatively mounted upon the progressor frame, a plurality of fruit engaging means operatively carried by the conveyor means, a fruit feed means, a drive means operative-for synchronously driving the conveyor means,. the progressor frame reciprocating means andthe fruit means all in timed relation, and a speed change means associated with said last mentioned drive means operative for simultaneously changing the speed of said conveyor means, said progressor frame 4 reciprocating means and of the said fruit feed means.

13. In a progressor mechanism for assisting fruit out of the troughs formed between the transversely positioned cylindrical treating mem- 5c bers of a fruit treating machine; a frame for the machine, a progressor frame, fruit moving means on said progressor frame, and means including said progressor frame for causing said fruit moving means to have combinedhorizontal and ver- 55 tical movement above the said troughs.

14. In a progressor mechanism for assisting -fruit out of the troughs formed between the transversely positioned treating rolls of a fruit treating machine, a frame for the machine, a. progressor frame having a plurality of fruit engaging means spaced therealong at distances substantially equal to the spacing of fruit treating rolls, and means including said progressor frame for causing said fruit engaging means to have combined horizontal and vertical movements above the said troughs.

15. Ina fruit treating machine, a plurality of substantially cylindrical treating elements arranged in side by side relation to support pieces 7l of fruit therebetween, means for rotating said treating elements, fruit advancing means mounted above said supporting elements for engagement with fruit supported thereon, and means for moving said fruit advancing means transversely oi the treating elements along an undulating path approximating the contour of the treating elements.

16.- In a-iruit treating machine, a plurality of substantially cylindrical treating elements arranged in side by side relation to support pieces of fruit therebetween, means Ior'rotating said treating elements, and means for advancing fruit over said treating elements, including a carrier mounted above said treating elements, pusher means associated with said carrier for engagement with fruit on said treating elements, and means for driving said carrier to move the pusher means transversely of the treating elements along an undulating path following the approximate contour oi. the treating elements.

17. A machine for treating rollable fruit and the like, which comprises a series oi! substantially cylindrical treating rolls arranged in adjacent parallel relation so as to form valleys therebea tween to support the fruit, means for simultaneously rotating the rolls at a speed suiiicient to 'rotate the fruit for treating purposes and insure ficient to provide the necessary traction to advance the fruit from one valley to the adjacent valley, a plurality of propelling members actuated to progress the fruit-only, and means for periodically lowering the propeller members down into, across and out 01 said valleys to propel fruit from each valley simultaneously to the adjacent treating valley.

18. A machine for treating rollable fruit and the like, comprising a series 01 substantially cylindrical treating rolls arranged in adjacent parallel relation so as to form valleys therebet'ween to support the fruit, means for simultaneously rotating the rolls in the same direction and same speeds suiiicient to rotate the fruit for treating purposes and insuilicient to provide the necessary traction to advance the fruit from one valley to the adjacent valley, a plurality 01 propelling members. actuated to progress the fruit only and means for periodically passing the pro-' peller members down into, through and out of the valleys in the direction of travel of the up- 7 per surfaces of said rolls so as to propel simultaneously fruit from each valley to the succeeding valley. l

19. A machine for treating rollable fruit and the like, comprising a series of substantially cylindrical treating brushes arranged in adjacent parallel relation so as to form valleys therebetween suitable for supporting a rowof fruit, means for simultaneously rotating the brushes in ,a common direction and at a common speed sui- 10 flcient to rotate the fruit for treating purposes and insui'ilcient to provide the necessary traction to advance the fruit from one valley to the adjacent valley, a plurality or propelling members actuated to progress the fruit only, and means for periodically and simultaneously lowering the propelling members into, across, and onto! said valleys in the direction of travel of the upper surfaces of the brushes so as to propel a 'row of fruit simultaneously from each valley to the suciacent valley. a plurality of propelling members held spaced apart a distance equivalent to the distance between the valleys, means for periodically and simultaneously moving said propelling members each down into, acres and out 01 a treating valley for advancing the fruit from said valley simultaneously to the succeeding valley, so that the fruit enters said succeeding valley after saidsucceeding valley is denuded of fruit, and means for periodically supp y to the first oi the valleys after it is denuded ot fruit sumcient fruit to Iorm a rowtherein.

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